


Heart Beating Like a Drum

by bloviate



Series: Pokemon Eclipse [3]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Comfort, Gen, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 14:49:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11808171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloviate/pseuds/bloviate
Summary: In the wake of her time in Ultra Space, Moon has trouble sleeping. One night, during a trip to the beach, she finds out that she's not the only one.Potential future of my Pokemon Eclipse series, but can be read as a standalone one-shot.





	Heart Beating Like a Drum

**Heart Beating Like a Drum**

* * *

 

For the twelfth night in a row, Moon woke up before the sun, drenched in a cold sweat. Her heart thundered in her chest, and the darkness surrounding her felt like a physical weight pressing in on her, holding her down, squeezing her throat so that every breath was torture.

She heaved into a seated position, dislodging Vulpix from her chest. The fluffy white Pokémon flew off with a startled cry, but quickly curled up at the foot of the bed and fell asleep—it was used to Moon’s midnight outbursts.

For a few moments, Moon paced the floor of her room as she grew accustomed to—to being _back_. After spending so long on the road traveling, sleeping wherever she and her friends found a spot, being home was a shock.

_Dark, cold, flickering lights with gleaming malicious eyes_

Moon shook herself. She needed to get out. She needed to leave, to run, to go _right now_.

She fled, leaving all her Pokémon behind. She ran through the dirt roads of the Hau’oli outskirts, up the hill towards Iki Town, then down the steep slope that lead to the secluded beach she only knew was there because Hau took her and Lillie, once upon a time.

She ran until sweat dripped down her forehead, not even chilling her in the warm night air. She ran until her breath came out in puffs of labored air, till her thighs burned and she felt something other than fear.

She ran as if she could leave her past behind. Leave the nightmare of Ultra Space behind.

Moon knew better than to think that. But while she was running, she could imagine. She could hope.

At times like this, Moon wished she had the guts to contact Lillie. She wished that Kanto wasn’t so far away, because phone calls are awkward and leave so many things unsaid. There was too much unsaid.

It was her and Lillie. Moon and Lillie had entered Ultra Space together, to rescue Nebby, to rescue Lusamine. But it felt like only a shell of Moon had come out.

When Moon finally reached the beach, she slowed down and walked towards the waves lapping slowly at the shore. She’d neglected to put on shoes, so the burning soles of her feet welcomed the cool water. Moon looked out across the surf, towards the glittering crescent moon that lit up the sky. A shell of its full self, just like Moon felt. 

“Hey, kid.”

Moon shrieked, reaching for the pokéballs that weren’t at her hip for the first time in months. She flailed around, waving her arms at the air, stumbling backwards further into the surf until she tipped and lost her balance, landing in the water with a splash.

“Whoa, take it easy!” Guzma eased, crouching down and raising his hands to show Moon that it was just him, he wasn’t going to hurt her. “It’s jus’ me. Jus’ Guzma.”

Moon could feel her heart beating like a drum in her chest. She saw Guzma’s face, saw his eyes, the frosted tips of his hair. She recognized the paradoxical safety of him, the worry on his brow, the encroaching nature of the hand he held towards her. And slowly, she started to calm. Darkness still soaked up the edges of her vision, taunting her with eyes in the dark that weren’t supposed to be there. But Guzma was here now.

Reaching out, Moon let Guzma pull her out of the water. He helped her stand, then gave her his X-Team Skull jacket—it hung down to her knees, but it was warm and smelled safe, familiar.

“Let’s sit,” Guzma suggested, and together they sat shoulder to shoulder, facing the ocean.

They sat in silence for several minutes, each soaking in the other’s presence, letting the other be the balm to their wounds. Moon leaned further into Guzma, and Guzma eventually wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“What’re you doin’ out here, Moon?” Guzma asked quietly. “Shouldn’t you be up on Mount Lanakila trainin’ with the Elite Four?”

Moon shook her head. “No, I passed the title off.” She felt Guzma stiffen next to her in surprise.

“Yeah?” Was all he said.

“Yeah.” Moon looked down at her feet. It was true; being Champion of the Alola region had meant the world to her for the longest time—being Champion of anything had meant even more for even longer. But now that she’d gone and save the world…traveled through Ultra Space…nothing was the same. How could she be an adequate Champion if she couldn’t even sleep through the night? How could she face challengers when, at the start of every battle, she froze up, picturing things that weren’t there?

“You talk to Lillie about it?” Guzma wanted to know.

Moon shrugged. “I don’t want to bother her. She’s busy trying to figure stuff out with her mom. She doesn’t need me pestering her about my trouble sleeping.”

Guzma snorted. “And did you ever think that, maybe, she’s worried about botherin’ you too?”

Moon had thought of that. But it wasn’t enough. She didn’t say that though—instead, she replied, “And what about you? You talk to Lillie about it?”

“Naw, she never liked me,” Guzma shook off the thought. “But Hala…yeah. He wasn’t there like we were…but he’s got a good listenin’ ear. Makes me feel like my thoughts are worth hearin’, ya know? Makes me feel like…” Like Lusamine did, Moon finished silently.

Moon let out a breath, her gaze unfocusing into the distance.

“Are we going to be okay?” Moon wondered. “Are we ever going to sleep through the night again?”

“I don’t know, kid.” He pulled her tighter against his side, then rested his head on top of hers. “Try an’ close your eyes, though. I’ll be right here.”

Moon nodded slowly, her eyelids drifting shut.

“We’ll be right here,” Guzma repeated, and Moon sank softly into sleep.

 

* * *

 

**Authors Note:** Just another one-shot in a possible future of my main fic, Pokemon Eclipse. Let me know if you enjoyed it!


End file.
